Holder for steel wool or the like



June 2, 1959 J. G. BUBAR 2,388,699

HOLDER FOR STEEL WOOL OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 11,- 1958 JULIA G bUbML,

INVENTOR' v BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent HOLDER FOR STEEL WOOL OR THE Julia G. Bubar, Asheville, NC.

Application August 11, 1958, Serial No. 754,500

2 Claims. 15-209) This invention relates to an improved holder .for a scouring pad made of steel wool, fibrous mesh, or the like.

The use of scouring pads made from harsh abrasive materials, such as steel wool, has become widespread for cleaning kitchen utensils and various other articles subject to the accumulation of grease and grime thereon which is diflicult to remove by merely washing the utensils and/ or articles in a soapy solution. While scouring pads of such abrasive material are eminently satisfactory in removing the heavy accumulations of grease and grime from kitchen utensils or the like, the nature of the materials comprising the scoring pads subjects the hands of the person using the same to rough treatment. Thus, the hands of the user may be scratched or pricked by the abrasive fibers of the scouring pad as it .is rubbed briskly back and forth along the surface of an article being cleaned.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a protective holder for a scouring pad of steel wool or the like, wherein the holder is of simple, rugged construction to safeguard .the hands of the user against the harsh abrasive action of the fibers comprising the scouring pad.

.It is another object of this invention to provide a protective holder for a scouring pad including a body of a size to completely overhang the pad for shielding the hand of the user from the pad, wherein the overhanging portions of the body also serve as stop means to limit the degree of wear of the pad short of the point where the impaling means securing the pad to the body would be exposed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a protective holder for a scouring pad of steel wool or the like comprising a flexible, sheet-like, resilient body adapted to be flexed into a bowed, tensioned state for reception of a scouring pad which is secured thereto by an impaling means passing through spaced openings formed in the flexed, bowed body.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a protective holder for a scouring pad of steel wool or the like comprising a flexible, sheet-like, resilient body having end portions adapted to be flexed inwardly toward each other for reception of a scouring pad which is secured thereto by an impaling pin passing through open ings provided in the end portions of the body, and means in the form of a rib on the body adapted to be matingly received in a groove in the pin and an enlarged head on the pin to maintain the body in bowed tensioned condition with the impaling pin and the body interlocked. The impaling pin may be withdrawn from the body to replace the scouring pad by flexing the end portions of the body inwardly toward each other to disengage the rib thereon from the groove formed in the pin, whereby the pin may be withdrawn from the openings formed in the body.

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Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved holder embodying the present invention, showing a scouring pad secured thereto;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom ,plan view of the body of the improved holder with the impaling pin and the scouring pad removed, looking along line.3-3 of Figure '2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of theimpaling pin of the holder shown in Figures land 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 broadly designates the scouring pad holder embodying the present invention. The holder 10 includes a flexible, sheet-like, resilient body or protector plate 11 which may be molded from any suitable material, such as rubber or plastic. Although the body 11 is illustrated as being rectangular, it will be understood that the body 11 may assume various shapes without departing from the invention.

For convenience in grasping the holder 10, a handle 12 in the form of a block is molded integrally with the body 11, being centrally arranged on the upper surface thereof. The handle 12 may be contoured to provide gripping surfaces for the hand of the user, if desired.

The body 11 includes opposite flexible end portions 13, 14, each of which is provided with a transverse, elongated slot or opening 15 therein. Each slot '15 is positioned intermediate the side edges of the body 11 and spaced inwardly from the edge of its respective end portion 13 or 14 in parallel relation to the other slot 15. Thus, the body 11 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel, transverse, elongated slots 15 in its end portions 13, 14 for reception of a pad impaling means 16.

The pad impaling means 16, as illustrated in Figure 4, is an elongated, substantially fiat pin having an enlarged head 17 at one end thereof and a groove 20 extending transversely throughout the width of the pin adjacent the opposite end thereof. To facilitate the insertion of the impaling pin 16 in one or the other of the slots 15 formed in the body 11 of holder 10, the end portion 21 of the pin opposite from the enlarged head 17 is tapered to a point. The pin 16 may be formed of any non-corrosive material possessing flexible rigidity, such as a suitable metal or plastic.

When disassembled from the impaling pin 16, the body 11 of holder 10 is substantially flat. The distance be tween the slots 15 formed in the body 11 is sufiiciently great compared to the length of the impaling pin 16 so as to require the end portions 13, 14 of the body 11 to be flexed downwardly or inwardly toward each other before the impaling pin 16 may be properly received with in the slots 15. In assembling the holder 10, the end portions 13, 14 of the body 11 are initially flexed downwardly as previously described, thereby shaping the body 11 in a bowed, tensioned state and providing a depression 22 on the undersurface of the body 11 for receptionof a pad of scouring material, such as steel wool W.

The pad of steel wool Wis placed in the depression 22 caused by the downward flexing of the end portions 13, 14 of the body 11. Such flexing of the end portions 13,14 is sufflcient to bring the longitudinal extents of slots 15 into substantial alinement. The impaling pin 16 is then inserted at its tapered end portion 21 in one of the slots 15 and is driven through the pad of steel W001 W flexed state.

until its tapered end'21 protrudes through theopposite' iendportions 13, 14 of the body 11, the end portions 13, 14 exhibit a strong tendency to return to their initial mi- The position of the opposite ends of the assaeaa 1 impaling pin 16 on the upper surface of the body 11 along its respective end portions 13, 14 maintains the body 11 in a flexed state and prevents the return of end portions 13, 14' to their relaxed, unflexed positions.

the undersurface of the body 11 is provided with a pair 11 ribs 23 are positioned inwardly of and adjacent to the pair of slots 15 provided in the body 11. One of the ribs 23 is adapted to cooperate with the impaling pin 16 and the enlarged head 17 thereon to releasably lock the impaling pin 16 in the position shown in Figure 2. In this connection, upon complete insertion of the impaling pin 16 so that its opposite ends are located on the upper surfaces of the corresponding end portions 13, 14 of the .of transversely extending ribs or lugs 23. The pair of i body 11, one of the ribs 23 is matingly received within the transverse groove 20 provided in the impaling pin 16 adjacent to itstapered end portion 21. The pin 16 is thus interlocked with body 11 through the slots 15 formed therein by means of the mating reception of one rib 23 in the transverse groove 20 provided in the impaling pin 16 at one end and the enlarged head 17 serving as a stop at the opposite end of the impaling pin 16. It will be apparent that only one rib 23 could be provided on the undersunface of the body 11. However, by providing a pair of such ribs 23, the impaling pin 16 may be first inserted within either one of the slots 15.

It will be apparent, therefore, that when the downward flexing pressure incident upon the end portions 13, 14 of body 11 is removed, the impaling pin 16 will be firmly but releasably interlocked with the body 11 to secure the steel wool pad W thereto. Should it become necessary to replace the steel wool pad W with a new pad, the user applies flexing pressure to the end portions 13, 14 of the body 11 to flex them downwardly or inwardly toward each other. Upon the end portions 13, 14 being flexed in this manner, the rib 23 on the undersurface of body 11 received within the transverse groove 20 formed in impaling pin 16 is forced out of the groove 20 and caused to ride along the medial planar surface of the flat impaling pin 16. The impaling pin 16 may then be withdrawn from theslots 15 to release the steel wool pad W and restore the body 11 to its initial flat, untensioned state. While this invention has been illustrated and described in connection with the use of a single impaling pin, it will be understood that a plurality of such pins may be "used with the protective body 11 to more firmly secure the scouring pad in place, if necessary. Inasmuch as scouring pads may be manufactured with a predetermined standard width, it is contemplated that the pair of ribs 23 providedon the undersurface of body 11 may serve as retainer means for the scouring pad by spacing them sufficiently apart to receive the standardized width of the pad. ;Where this' is. done, the lengths of the pair of ribs 23 maybe extended so that the ribs have lengths correjsponding, to the width of the projective body, thus pro.- viding a retaining lug along the entire width of the scouringpad on each end thereof.

The body 11 of holder 10 is molded so that its size is such asto completely overhang scouring pad W which is secured thereto. Thus, if for any reason the hand of the user should slip from the handle 12, the protective body 11 would shield it from the scouring pad. The portions of body 11 overhanging the scouring pad W additionally serve as limiting stops to prevent wearing of the scouring pad to a point where the impaling pin 16 would be exposed which, if permitted, could cause defacing of the article being cleaned.

Suitable indicia may be provided on the holder 10 for advising the user to moveitback and forth in a direction paralleltothe longitudinal extent of the impaling pin 16. When the holder 10 is used in this fashion, the effectiveness of the ribs 23 as retainers for the securing pad W is enhanced. To present an attractive, distinctive appearance for the holder 10, the body 11 and the impaling pin 16 may be in contrasting colors.

While of simple construction, the scouring pad holder embodying the present invention protects the hand of the user from scratching and pricking caused by direct contact with the abrasive material of the scouring pad. The holder 10 is entirely reliable in this respect and its few parts make it economical to use while obviating the necessity for constant repair thereof.

In'the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms'are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A holder for a scouring pad comprising a bowed protector plate under tension, said bowed plate being provided with a pair of spaced, parallel, alined, elongated slots therethrough, said slots being located at opposite end portions of said bowed plate respectively, a fiat pin passing through said spaced alined slots and adapted to impale a scouring pad for securing it to the undersurfac'e of said bowed plate, said flat pin having an enlarged head at one end and being provided with a transverse groove adjacent its other end, the opposite ends of said flat pin being disposed against the upper surfaces of respective end portions of said bowed plate adjacent corresponding slots and maintaining said plate in a bowed, tensioned state, a rib on the undersurface of said bowed plate located inwardly of and adjacent to one of said slots, said rib being matingly received in the transverse groove formed in said flat pin and the enlarged. head of said flat pin abutting against the upper surface of the end portion of said bowed plate bounding the other slot to interlock said flat pinand said bowed plate, and the opposite end portions of said plate being flexible inwardly toward each other to release the interlock between said plate and said flat pin, whereby said flat pin may be withdrawn through said slots for removal of the scouring pad.

2. A holder for a scouring pad comprising a resilient sheetlike body, said body being provided with a pair of spaced parallel slots, said slots being respectively positioned adjacent opposite ends of said body, a fiat impaling pin passing through said spaced slots, the opposite ends of said impaling pin being positioned on the upper surface of the body and the medial portion of said pin extending between said spaced slots being positioned on the undersunface of the body, the distance between said spaced slots when said body is undistorted being sufficiently great relative to the length of said flat pin so as to require the ends of said body to be flexed inwardly toward each other for reception of the ends of said pin in the respective slots, the flexed ends of said body forming a depression in its undersurface extending between said slots for receptionof the scouring pad to be impaled by said pin, said pin having an enlarged head at one end and being provided with a transverse groove adjacent the opposite end thereof, said enlarged" head having a width longer than that of the slot adjacent thereto, a rib on the other side of said body positioned inwardly of and adjacent to the slot receiving the opposite end of said pin, said rib being matingly received within the transverse groove formed in said pin, whereby said body is maintained in a flexed state with said impaling pin extending through said slots in interlocking relation to said flexed body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

